


Crossroads

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Crossroads-Verse [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Camp Nanowrimo, Dramatic Irony, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Post-Canon Fix-It, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Slow Burn Darkpilot, Tags May Change, Time Travel, World Between Worlds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23429164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: The war is over. The Resistance has won. And yet it’s at a bittersweet price with the death of most of the Skywalker bloodline. Unsatisfied, Rey, Poe and Finn go to the World Between Worlds and pull out 23 year old Ben Solo the night his uncle nearly kills him. Unfortunately, Palpatine and his minions aren’t about to let Ben go that easily.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Crossroads-Verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685047
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. The World Between Worlds

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was when Ben Solo woke that he knew that he wasn’t in the wreckage of the hut that he had pulled down upon him, but in some sort of...grid.

Yeah. That was the most that he could decipher. He couldn’t say he recognized a majority of the people surrounding him. Except Poe. Poe, who somehow looked older, more tired...and yet the look on his face, it was like he was the twenty-six-year-old Poe that Ben knew. The man who had, five years ago, decided to leave the Spice Runners and join the Republic Navy. Why was he staring at him like that? Like he’d seen a miracle? Ben knew, at least, that he wasn’t worth that much. He never was. After what his uncle had nearly done —

_ He looks so young.  _ That was one of the thoughts he picked up, from the woman in the off-white jumpsuit with her black hair in a sort of ponytail. Of course he was young. Only twenty-three, wasn’t he?

_ I can’t believe that he’s here.  _ Poe.  _ Home. _

Home from where?

That was the question.

“Poe,” he said. “Who are these people? Where am I?”

He didn’t miss the way that the woman with her hair in three buns looked at him. Like he was some sort of miracle. Ben was many things. “Miracle” wasn’t one of them.

“You’re...in the World Between Worlds,” Poe said.

_ The World Between Worlds.  _ So he had been pulled out of time. Someone had pulled him out of time. Out of the wreckage.

Did he thank them? Did he demand to be taken home? Then again, what was “home”, especially since his uncle...

“So this is...”

The woman with her hair in three buns spoke up. “Basically the future. You missed a lot.” She smiled at him. Ben decided he liked her smile. “I’m Rey. This is Finn, Rose and Jannah.”

“Good to...meet you. I suppose.” Ben sighed. “I shouldn’t be here...”

“Ben,” Rey said, “It’s the best way. You don’t know if your uncle’s going to come after you again.”

“Wait,” Poe said. It sounded like he was in the dark as Ben was. “What do you mean?”

“It’s a long story,” Rey said. Then, “We should get out of here. You don’t know what else will come through.”

Ben supposed she was right.

***

The sunlight was almost blinding even as they emerged from the World Between Worlds — apparently, they’d found a cave on Ach-To.  _ Ach-To.  _ His uncle had been searching for that place, for the first Jedi Temple, for quite some time.

“So you found it?” he said to Poe.

“Rey found it,” Poe said. “There was something involving a map...long story.”

Ben furrowed his brow. “You seem to have a lot of these.”

“I know,” Poe said. “You missed a lot.”

And Ben didn’t miss how jumpy Poe seemed in that moment. Like he was afraid. He didn’t miss, either, how Poe’s mind seemed blocked off in that moment. Like a durasteel wall.

What happened to Poe? Who could have done this to him, who would have been cruel enough to hurt him in this way? Ben couldn’t imagine.  _ You missed a lot.  _ Obviously, he had. Something was wrong. Something was wrong with his Poe. Something was missing.

What was missing? That was something that he couldn’t say he understood. He wished he did, actually.

***

“Where’s Uncle Chewie?” Ben said, once they boarded the  _ Falcon.  _ He never thought he would be so glad to see it again.

“He’s at the Resistance Base,” Poe said.

“Resistance.” There was a Resistance going on? Somehow, it seemed very much like the Rebellion of old. Ben couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had happened to inspire all of this. “And Mom, Dad...”

Poe looked pained. Ben couldn’t help but think of what he said, what Rey said.  _ You missed a lot.  _ “In this present, they’re dead,” Poe said. “I’m sorry.”

“Dead?” Ben went rigid. “What happened to them?”

“Your mom died trying to reach out to a man named Kylo Ren. Your dad...he was killed by Kylo Ren.”

“Was he...”

“He served Snoke,” Poe said. “Served the First Order. He later turned on the First Order to rule it, and then...well, he died redeeming himself. At least that’s what Rey said.”

Ben raised an eyebrow. “Very Vader of him.” Why anyone would want to emulate the man who gave his mother nightmares, Ben didn’t know.

Poe looked pained. Ben wasn’t about to press further; he had a feeling that Poe was troubled enough as it was. Had suffered enough as it was. He wasn’t about to make things worse.

“So Mom and Dad are still alive in...the world I got pulled out of,” Ben said. “Just not alive here?” Even that was something he couldn’t bear to think about.

“Yes,” Poe said. “Basically.”

“We could go and save them. If we could. I just don’t know if they’d...” And here, Ben faltered. It was selfish, he knew, but would his parents even still accept him, love him? If his own uncle had tried to kill him...

“If they’d what?” Poe said.

“Accept me,” Ben said. “If my own uncle thinks I’m a monster...”

“He doesn’t.”

“You weren’t there,” Ben said. “You didn’t see him standing over me with his lightsaber ignited.”

Poe looked like he had been struck. “Luke did that?” he said. “Luke...”

Rey was currently in the cockpit with Finn — it was like she’d sensed Poe’s need to have some time alone with Ben. Past Ben? Resurrected Ben? Definitely Ben-pulled-out-of-time, that was for sure — so she didn’t seem to be paying attention to their conversation.

“He did. Poe...please believe me. I wouldn’t just make this up...”

Poe swallowed. It was clear he was trying to figure out what to say. “I just didn’t expect him to do it.”

“I suppose not,” Ben said. “Neither did I. What if I was just that bad?”

“I know you,” Poe said. “I know you’re a kind, brave, funny, talented man who deserves more than this.”

Ben didn’t know. Would Poe still feel the same way about him, when he knew what he’d thought, felt, done? Poe didn’t know him. Didn’t know everything.

***

“It’s so quiet.” Even as Ben laid on one of the bunks, staring up at the ceiling, he wasn’t used to his head being quiet. It should have been peaceful. It just felt empty.

Poe sat across from him. “You know it’s just the ship,” he said.

“Not that. I can feel it. Inside. I’m not used to it being so quiet.” A beat. “Stay?”

“Oh.” Poe sounded flustered — Ben didn’t entirely consider in that moment how his request came off, especially here. “I can...use the other bed...”

He still sounded jumpy around him. Had something happened to Poe? Had Ben done something to him? Ben shuddered to think. “Please.” Ben said.

Poe took the other bed. “Get some sleep,” he said. “I’ll be there in the morning, Ben. I’m not gonna leave you.”


	2. New Directions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang heads back to D’Qar, and Snoke begins plotting against Palpatine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: It was actually LieselSolo on AO3 who suggested a good portion of this chapter, a.k.a. Ben mourning his parents. Special thanks to her for that!

It was on the garden planet of Adani that Snoke, creation of Emperor Palpatine, knelt before the hologram of his creator.

In a sense, his father.

Palpatine was not his father biologically, but he had crafted him from Milaran genetics, and in a way, he was Snoke’s father. Palpatine liked to boast that he was as skilled a creator as Darth Plagueis ever was, perhaps better — and Snoke was one example of that. Now, even as Snoke knelt before Palpatine, he wondered what it felt like to be reprimanded by one’s father.

Perhaps that was what it felt like, in a way.

“There has been a great disturbance in the Force,” Palpatine said.

“I felt as much,” Snoke said. “Time has been meddled with.” It was something that filled him with fury thinking about it; this was not supposed to happen. Everything was supposed to go according to plan, as the Emperor and Snoke had foreseen.

“Yes,” Palpatine said. “I cannot say I am used to my plans being...challenged.”

Of course not. The Emperor was brilliant, an expert dejarik player. Skilled at manipulating the pieces, placing them where he would.

Palpatine continued. “Ben Solo has vanished. When he vanished, I did not feel him die as much as be...yanked from time itself.”

“Is that possible?”

“Nothing is impossible with the Force. There is one possibility as to how Ben Solo vanished.” Palpatine looked thoughtful. “Long has it been since I needed to acquire this portal. The World Between Worlds. A bridge between possibilities, a tangle of time.”

“Time travel?” Snoke said, a bit bewildered.

“Does it seem so improbable?”

“It...” Snoke paused. “Time is a linear creature, is it not?”

“Not so,” said Palpatine. “Time can be malleable. Should we access the World Between Worlds, we will be akin to gods.”

“Where do we find it?”

“Ezra Bridger,” and Palpatine said the name with a degree of venom, “Destroyed one portal. But there are more.”

“You could have accessed any of these portals and become a god earlier.”

“I had more  _ pressing _ matters at hand,” Palpatine said. “Stopping the Rebellion was one of them. Finding the son of Skywalker another. I never thought I would need these portals again. Now it appears I do.” Silence. “Perhaps your friend Ren could find the portal? Send him to Malachor. When he finds young Solo, he will bring the Jedi to me.”

“As you command.”

Palpatine’s hologram vanished, and Snoke could not help but feel resentment burning inside him, like the prelude to a blazing fire. Somehow, Palpatine was disappointed in him. Saw him as an unworthy apprentice. It was one of the greatest insecurities of a Dark Sider, was it not, to be unworthy?

Of course, Snoke had plans of his own. Long had he waited to rebel. One did not create a clone without expecting him to have some semblance of free will. And Snoke had been learning. Learning quite rapidly at that, about the nature of the Force. About the Darkness and the Light, about how flawed both sides were. It was why he, personally, had become so fascinated with Ben Solo. It was the idea of Ben being the answer to every riddle he was presented with. How did one balance the Force?

How did one end the conflict between Dark and Light?

So Ben Solo had promised to be that answer.

Snoke got up; he could feel how gnarled and twisted his body had become. He wondered occasionally if it was Palpatine’s design, as he had imprisoned Vader in the suit that he had designed as a mode of keeping Vader from overthrowing him. ( _ And look how well that turned out,  _ Snoke thought wryly)

But he walked nonetheless towards the communications system. Contacted Ren.

“Hey, Snoke. What’s going on?” Ren said.

“I have a task for you. Go to Malachor. There is...a portal known as the World Between Worlds there. You will search for Ben Solo there. But do not bring him to Palpatine.”

“Wait, Palpatine? Since when did Palpatine survive that Death Star explosion?”

“A clone,” Snoke said. “As I was saying, Ren, before you rudely interrupted, you are to bring him to me. He is instrumental in my vision.”

“So Palpatine’s a clone and you’re going behind his back. I don’t know whether to call you crazy, a genius, or both.”

“I  _ am  _ both.”

“Should I bring the other Knights?”

“It’s advised.” Snoke had a feeling it was Ren’s way of trying to return things to some degree of normalcy. “You wanted something to burn, Ren, and I command you to burn.” A beat. “I must stay behind. Lest Palpatine become suspicious of me. And if you tell Palpatine of my plans...I can find a new Master for the Knights.”

“Wouldn’t dream of betraying you, Snoke.”

“Excellent. It’s in your best interests, especially self-preservation, not to betray me.”

“No arguments there. I’ll get the  _ Night Buzzard  _ and we’re heading to Malachor right now.”

Ren probably fancied himself charming, Snoke thought wryly. Still, of everyone in the First Order, Ren was the closest one he could say he had a degree of affection for.

It seemed that Snoke’s plan to betray Palpatine was just beginning.

***

Ben woke in the  _ Falcon  _ later on — it wasn’t like he had his usual nightmares, visions of battle and blood and terrible things happening to his family. But he still had nightmares. He saw the shadow in his nightmares, the sort of shadow that he could only assume was Kylo Ren, moving among the figures of Ben’s family and striking them down, one by one.

One by one. It chilled Ben, remembering it all too well. One by one. He didn’t want to think about how his father must have died, how his mother must have died. There had been so much yesterday that Ben didn’t even think of his parents’ deaths — likely his family’s — but now...

Was this future any better? Even though he was “safe” from his uncle? At least Poe was whole in the other reality. At least Poe was fine, and his parents were alive.

Poe stirred in that moment; he’d obviously fallen asleep looking after Ben. Fallen asleep. Ben supposed that in kinder times, it would be almost cute. “What time is it?”

“Four oh hundred,” Ben said. “I didn’t sleep well.” He sighed. “If Kylo Ren wasn’t already dead, I’d kill him myself.”

Poe looked slightly uncomfortable in that moment. “You’re talking about him killing your parents, right?”

Ben nodded. “Why?” he said.

Poe sighed. “I wish I had an answer for you,” he said. “There are times I wonder what was going on in his head. He had just about everything.” Ben noticed Poe didn’t go into specifics. Maybe it was too painful for him to talk about.

He could respect Poe’s privacy in that regard.

Poe continued. “And sometimes I wonder what I could have done to help him.”

“Of course.” Poe was one of those people who saw the good in just about everyone. Maybe it was just another part of him. Maybe it was the fact that Poe could see the good in so many — the wounded being underneath. “But maybe...maybe he didn’t have a reason. Maybe it was just a cosmic temper tantrum.”

Poe winced a bit. Then, “It’s easy to say that. But I just know that there’s more to it than that. There were some ways that he was like you. He was witty. Stubborn. Powerful. And I can’t entirely hate him, though perhaps I should. There’s so much I would have told him. Good and bad.”

Ben wished that their beds weren’t far apart. That he could comfort Poe properly. Even sitting across from Poe, there was something about the distance that, even though they weren’t that far apart, it certainly felt that way.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry I missed so much.”

“Not your fault.”

It was then that Rey walked in — walked in, and it was there that she looked, briefly affronted. Why she would be offended that Poe and Ben were sharing a room, Ben didn’t know. Was it really that bad?

“It’s not what it looks like,” Ben said. “Poe was helping me sleep.”

“Right.” Rey took a deep breath. “We’re heading to D’Qar. That was where your mother...had her Resistance.”

_ Had.  _ Stars, that shouldn’t have felt like a vibroblade to the heart.

Ben nodded.

He stood up, headed towards the main hold. Even passing through it, Ben couldn’t help but think of better times, before everything had gone wrong. Playing sabaac with his father. Helping his father and Uncle Chewie fix the Falcon. Just to name two.

Kylo Ren was a monster. One act of kindness didn’t undo all of the terrible things he did.

Breakfast was uneasy, and after they finished, Rey headed to her quarters, mumbling something about the ship being on AutoPilot and that BB-8 could good as fly the ship. Ben furrowed his brow; he would go after her, but he wasn’t about to disrupt her privacy.

“You should probably let her go,” Rose said. “When a woman wants to be alone, she usually wants to be alone.”

Ben nodded. He couldn’t say he  _ was  _ a woman, really, but he could take Rose’s word for it.

“Did I do something wrong?” Ben said.

Rose shrugged. “I don’t know. Best to give her some time, either way.”

***

Poe had Ben back. She should be happy, shouldn't she, Rey thought even as she adjusted her pillow into a more comfortable shape. Happy. It didn’t quite alleviate the gnawing jealous feeling in her heart, especially considering she had only seen glimpses of Ben Solo. Poe had been with him for longer than that. They had been friends, and maybe in a kinder reality, they could have been more than that.

She hadn’t expected to get attached to Ben Solo, then going by the name of Kylo Ren. She had hated him, at first — for torturing her (she wasn’t about to just assume everything was okay; after all, torturing someone was one of the worst things you could do to any being), for killing his own father, for injuring Finn...the list went on. It was later that she saw a part of him that was a better one, and then...

Did she love him? She had kissed him on Exegol. Rey knew that much. It had felt strange, not quite right somehow — like kissing a family member. But that wasn’t possible. Rey was a Palpatine. Maybe she was an honorary Skywalker, but...

_ Ri’ia, Rey, get yourself together. _

She was grateful that no one was coming after her. Maybe she wanted Ben to come after her. Come find her. She ought to be happy for Poe. She ought to be glad that Poe had the love of his life back...

_ But they’re not together proper, are they? Besides, Ben needs time. Stars, Rey; he was pulled out of the World Between Worlds; what do you think that does to a man? To anyone, actually? _

Rey sighed. She’d have to think about it more. She was grateful, at least, that the ship was on Autopilot until they reached D’Qar. That BB-8 could good as fly that thing.

She lay on her side, took a deep breath. She’d have to think about this. For now, she needed to rest. 


End file.
